Joseph Matthew Blanton (born December 11, 1980) is an American former
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Modern professiona ...
pitcher, who played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
(MLB) for the
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The t ...
,
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
,
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ...
,
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
,
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
,
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...
, and
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
.
After playing
college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
for the
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a public land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky, the university is one of the state ...
, the Athletics selected him in the
2002 MLB draft
The 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 4 and 5.
It is featured in Michael Lewis' 2003 book ''Moneyball''.
First round selections
Supplemental first round compensation selections
* * ...
and later made his MLB debut in 2004. While pitching for the Phillies, he was a member of the
2008 World Series championship team. Blanton continued to pitch in MLB through 2013, when he retired in 2014. Blanton returned from retirement to pitch in MLB from 2015 through 2017.
Amateur career
Joe Blanton was born in
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and ...
, but grew up in
Chalybeate, Kentucky. He graduated from
Franklin-Simpson High School
Franklin-Simpson High School is a high school in Franklin, Kentucky, United States. Franklin-Simpson is the only high school located in Simpson County, Kentucky. As of 2016, the school has 916 students enrolled and has 52 full-time teachers. The ...
in 1999. He attended the
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a public land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky, the university is one of the state ...
and played
college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
for the
Kentucky Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky (UK), a founding member of the Southeastern Conference. The Kentucky Wildcats is the student body of the University of Kentucky. 30,473 ...
, with a 13–12 record from 2000 to 2002, and led the
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is an American college athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central and Southeastern United States. Its fourteen members include the flagship public universities o ...
with 133
strikeouts in his final season, finishing with a 4.59
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA). In 2001 he played
collegiate summer baseball in the
Cape Cod Baseball League for the
Bourne Braves
The Bourne Braves are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Bourne, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in the league's West Division. The Braves play their home games at Doran Park on the ca ...
.
Professional career
Minor leagues
The
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The t ...
selected Blanton in the first round, with the 24th overall selection, of the
2002 Major League Baseball draft
The 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 4 and 5.
It is featured in Michael Lewis' 2003 book ''Moneyball''.
First round selections
Supplemental first round compensation selections
* * ...
, This draft was chronicled by
Michael Lewis
Michael Monroe Lewis (born October 15, 1960) Gale Biography In Context. is an American author and financial journalist. He has also been a contributing editor to ''Vanity Fair'' since 2009, writing mostly on business, finance, and economics. He ...
in his book, ''
Moneyball''. In 2003, while pitching for the
Kane County Cougars
The Kane County Cougars are an independent professional baseball team located in Geneva, Illinois and are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball (MLB). They play thei ...
and the
Midland RockHounds
The Midland RockHounds are a Minor League Baseball team based in Midland, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics major league club. The RockHounds play in Momentum Bank Ballpark, w ...
,
Blanton ranked second in all of
Minor League Baseball with a combined 174 strikeouts. The next season, he helped the Triple-A
Sacramento River Cats
The Sacramento River Cats are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and are the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Prior to 2015, the River Cats were the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics for 15 ...
win the
Pacific Coast League Championship
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball. A champion has been determined at the end of each season since the league ...
with an 11–8 record and a 4.19 ERA. He struck out 143 batters in 176 innings, tossing one
complete game in 26 starts.
Oakland Athletics
Blanton made his major league debut on September 21, 2004, against the
Texas Rangers. He made three appearances and pitched eight innings. He posted a 5.63 ERA and did not get a decision in any of his games.
In 2005, Blanton joined the starting rotation that had lost pitchers
Mark Mulder
Mark Alan Mulder (born August 5, 1977) is an American former professional baseball player. A left-handed starting pitcher, Mulder pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals. He is a two-time All-S ...
and
Tim Hudson
Timothy Adam Hudson (born July 14, 1975), nicknamed "Huddy" is an American former professional baseball pitcher of Major League Baseball (MLB). After spending his college years at Chattahoochee Valley Community College and Auburn University, Hu ...
to trades. He made his first start on April 8 against the
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home ve ...
, pitching five innings and allowing two runs. After losing his first five decisions, he picked up his first win when he worked seven innings against the
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
on June 4. Blanton was third on the team in innings pitched, but still exceeded 200 innings in his first full season. He posted a 12–12 record with a 3.53 ERA in 33 starts, and his 33 starts set an Oakland rookie record for most games started which had broken the previous mark of 32 set by
Matt Keough
Matthew Lon Keough ( ; July 3, 1955 – May 1, 2020) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a right-handed pitcher from through for the Oakland Athletics (1977–1983), New York Yankees (1983 ...
in 1978. His ERA was best among all rookies with 100 or more innings pitched.
He also tied the Oakland rookie record for most
wins in a season with 12.
His first career complete game came in a 1–0 loss to the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team h ...
on April 24, 2005; he was the only rookie to post two complete games in 2005.
Blanton's high loss total was attributed to poor run support, as the A's only posted six
runs total in all twelve of his losses combined, while posting 62 runs in his 12 wins.
Blanton was also named the American League Rookie of the Month for June, as he tied with teammate
Dan Haren
Daniel John Haren (born September 17, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Haren played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Wa ...
for the AL lead in wins and finished third in ERA in June.
In 2006, Blanton's ERA rose over a full point to 4.82 and gave up the fifth highest number of
hits in the
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
(241),
resulting in a .309
batting average against
In baseball statistics, batting average against (denoted by BAA or AVG), also known as opponents' batting average (denoted by OBA), is a statistic that measures a pitcher's ability to prevent hits during official at bats. It can alternatively be ...
. However, he had four more wins than the previous year, posting a 16–12 record, striking out 107 batters and
walking
Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an ' inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults ...
58. He pitched his first career complete game
shutout
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.
Shutouts are usuall ...
against the
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
on May 31.
Blanton did not pitch in the
ALDS for the Athletics, but was named to the roster for the
ALCS, where he pitched two innings in one appearance, allowing no hits or runs.
Blanton had a 14–10 record in 230 innings pitched in 2007. He struck out 140 batters, walked 40, and gave up 101
earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run that was fully enabled by the offensive team's production in the face of competent play from the defensive team. Conversely, an unearned run is a run that would not have been scored without the aid of an erro ...
s, resulting in a 3.95 ERA for the year. Though Blanton's road and home records were the same (7–5), his home ERA was 2.69 compared with 5.11 on the road.
He also pitched three complete games in 2007, but his first one of the season was his third career complete-game loss, on April 25.
Blanton made his 100th career appearance at the end of the season, in a 7–3 win against the
Texas Rangers on September 15.
The A's traded Blanton, who had a 5–12 record and a 4.96 ERA to the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...
for
second baseman Adrian Cárdenas
Adrian Cárdenas Rubio (born October 10, 1987) is a former American professional baseball second baseman.
Background
Cárdenas' father Juan first attempted to defect from Cuba in 1966 at age 17. He hid on a boat docked at Matanzas Bay, but was c ...
, pitcher
Josh Outman, and
outfielder
An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to c ...
Matthew Spencer on July 17, 2008.
Philadelphia Phillies
In Blanton's first start for the Phillies, he pitched six innings and allowed five runs; however, he did not factor in the decision as the Phillies scored six runs off the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
'
bullpen in the ninth inning to win. On August 2, Blanton recorded his first win as a Phillie against the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
by a score of 2–1 in his third Phillies start. For the season, 51% of his strikeouts were "looking", the highest percentage in the majors.
In Game 4 of the
2008 World Series, Blanton hit his first major league home run to become the 13th pitcher overall and first since
Ken Holtzman
Kenneth Dale Holtzman (born November 3, 1945) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher from through , most notably as a member of the Chicago Cubs for whom he pitch ...
in 1974 to hit a home run in a World Series game. He was also credited with the win in the Phillies' Game 4 victory over the
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...
, pitching six innings and allowing two runs on four hits. On January 21, 2010, the Phillies announced Blanton agreed to a three-year extension worth $24 million.
Los Angeles Dodgers
On August 3, 2012, Blanton was traded to the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...
for a
player to be named later
In Major League Baseball, a player to be named later (PTBNL) is an unnamed player involved in exchange or "trade" of players between teams. The terms of a trade are not finalized until a later date, most often following the conclusion of the seaso ...
(minor league prospect Ryan O'Sullivan). He started 10 games for the Dodgers and was 2–4 with a 4.99 ERA.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
In December 2012, Blanton signed a two-year contract worth $15 million with the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team h ...
. Blanton would go on to finish the 2013 season with a disappointing 2–14 record and a 6.04 ERA. Most of his struggles were attributed to the home run ball, giving up 29 in 132.2 innings. On March 26, 2014, Blanton was granted his unconditional release from the Angels.
Second stint with the Oakland Athletics
On March 31, 2014, the Oakland Athletics signed Blanton to a minor league deal and sent him to the Triple-A
Sacramento River Cats
The Sacramento River Cats are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and are the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Prior to 2015, the River Cats were the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics for 15 ...
. He made two starts in the minors and then on April 13, 2014, Blanton announced his retirement from baseball.
After working out in the offseason with
Gallatin, Tennessee
Gallatin is a city in and the county seat of Sumner County, Tennessee. The population was 30,278 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 census and 44,431 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Named for United States Secretary of the Tr ...
, neighbor and fellow pitcher
Zach Duke
Zachary Thomas Duke (born April 19, 1983) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks, Washington Nationals, Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago White Sox, St. ...
,
Blanton announced that he would attempt a comeback for the 2015 season. He pitched in a pro day at
Volunteer State Community College
Volunteer State Community College (Vol State) is a public community college in Gallatin, Tennessee. It is part of the Tennessee Board of Regents.
Vol State serves the suburban Nashville community. The main campus of the college is 30 miles (48& ...
in Gallatin to demonstrate his pitching for potential major league clubs.
[
]
Kansas City Royals
On February 13, 2015, Blanton signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...
. Blanton would earn $1 million at the major league level with up to $3 million in incentives. The contract contained an invitation to spring training, and two opt-out clauses on April 1 and May 15. Blanton pitched on May 16 against the Yankees, pitching four innings of relief with one earned run in a 5–1 loss. On July 28, Blanton was designated for assignment to make room for Johnny Cueto
Johnny Cueto Ortiz (; born February 15, 1986) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants and Chicago White Sox ...
. Despite the fact that he was traded before the Royals' World Series run that year, he still received a World Series ring, the second his career.
Pittsburgh Pirates
On July 29, 2015, Blanton was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
for cash considerations. Blanton appeared in 21 games, going 5–0 with a 1.57 ERA. He struck out 39 batters in innings pitched.
Second stint with Los Angeles Dodgers
On January 19, 2016, Blanton signed a one-year, $4 million contract to return to the Dodgers. He became the Dodgers primary setup man, appearing in 75 games with a 7–2 record and a 2.48 ERA in 80 innings. He pitched five scoreless innings in the 2016 National League Division Series
The 2016 National League Division Series were two best-of-five-game series to determine the participating teams in the 2016 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners (seeded 1-3) and a fourth team—the winner of a one-gam ...
against the Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
but struggled in the 2016 National League Championship Series
The 2016 National League Championship Series was a best-of-seven playoff in which the Chicago Cubs defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers for the National League (NL) pennant and the right to play in the 2016 World Series against the Cleveland Indians. ...
against the Chicago Cubs, allowing seven earned runs in only three innings of work to be credited with the loss in two games.
Washington Nationals
On March 2, 2017, Blanton signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
. He was put on the 10-day disabled list on May 17 with right shoulder inflammation and reactivated June 11. Both before and after his stint on the disabled list, Blanton struggled with a significant increase in his rate of home runs given up. He finished the 2017 season with a 2-4 record and a 5.68 ERA in innings across 51 appearances, all in relief. Blanton retired following the 2017 season.[
]
Personal life
Blanton and his wife, LeeAndra, have three children and live in St. Helena, California
St. Helena ( ; Wappo language, Wappo: ''Anakotanoma'') is a city in Napa County, California, Napa County, in the Wine Country of California. Located in the North Bay (San Francisco Bay Area), North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the ...
, where they own a vineyard on Howell Mountain producing cabernet sauvignon.
Scouting
Blanton threw a low-90's fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. " Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thr ...
, along with a 12–6 curveball, a slider
Slider or Sliders may refer to:
Arts
* K.K. Slider, a fictional character within the ''Animal Crossing'' franchise
* '' The Slider'', a 1972 album by T. Rex
* ''Sliders'' (TV series), an American science fiction and fantasy television series
* ...
, and a straight changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball.
The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...
. His curveball was his best secondary pitch, drawing comparisons to former teammate Barry Zito's 12–6 curve.
References
External links
Joe Blanton
at Baseball Almanac
Joe Blanton
at Baseball Gauge
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blanton, Joe
1980 births
Living people
People from Franklin, Kentucky
People from Edmonson County, Kentucky
Baseball players from Kentucky
Baseball players from Tennessee
American expatriate baseball players in Canada
Major League Baseball pitchers
Oakland Athletics players
Philadelphia Phillies players
Los Angeles Dodgers players
Los Angeles Angels players
Kansas City Royals players
Pittsburgh Pirates players
Washington Nationals players
Kentucky Wildcats baseball players
Bourne Braves players
Vancouver Canadians players
Modesto A's players
Kane County Cougars players
Sacramento River Cats players
Lakewood BlueClaws players
Reading Phillies players
Omaha Storm Chasers players